The Detective and the Designer
by The Silent Bull
Summary: What if Chelsea true path was to become a cop instead of an environmental biologist. When a young fashion designer's home gets broken into, the San Francisco Police Department gets involved.
1. Chapter 1 - The Break-In

**Summary:** What if Chelsea true path was to become a cop instead of an environmental biologist. When a young fashion designer named Raven Baxter's home is broken into, the San Francisco Police Department gets involved. Detective Chelsea Daniels is assigned to the case and soon discovers that there is more to the seemingly self-involved woman than it appears.

**Notes:** This story takes place in an alternate universe (AU) where Raven and Chelsea have never met before. The plot for this is very loosely based on the episode _The Lying Game_ where their teacher, Mr. Grazowski, got the results of the aptitude tests wrong and Chelsea was best suited to be a police woman.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"For the hundredth time, I didn't see his face. I came home, went upstairs to take a bath and I heard something downstairs. I came to see what it was and the window in the living room was partially open and _no_ I did not open the window and just forget to close it."

Detective Eddie Thomas of the San Francisco Police Department sighed as he jotted a few notes and tried to keep his cool. Raven Baxter was turning out to be a handful just like all of the other spoiled celebrities they had to deal with. He had read about her a few times in different gossip magazines and based on meeting her, he would guess the not so flattering stories were probably true.

"Did you see him _at all_?" Eddie asked.

"No," Raven said flatly.

Their attention went to the front door as someone else entered.

Detective Chelsea Daniels looked around as she entered the large home. She stepped into the living room and there was a couch, a coffee table and some bookshelves adorning the well designed space. As she looked to her right, her eyes traveled passed a staircase and into an open dining room where her partner was interviewing who she assumed was the homeowner.

"I got here as quickly as I could. What's up?" she asked as she joined them.

Eddie gave a sigh of relief as he looked at his partner. She was much more patient when it came to dealing with high profile civilians.

"Ms. Baxter, this is my partner Detective Daniels. Detective, Ms. Baxter," Eddie introduced.

"Call me Raven," the dark haired woman instructed as she studied the detective. Her red hair was pulled back into a ponytail with long bangs falling to the side of her face. She was dressed in tailored black pants, a white oxford shirt with a green sweater pulled over it and a simple pair of low heeled, black boots. Her weapon rested in its holster on her right hip and her shiny badge was clipped to the waistband of her pants on her left.

"I was just telling Ms. Baxter that there isn't much we can do if she didn't see the guy," Eddie said.

Chelsea saw Raven squint her eyes at Eddie and wondered if he purposely chose not to use her first name just to irritate her. She knew her partner had no patience for celebrities and he hated the fact that their superiors had instructed to give them a bit more attention.

She listened as Eddie continued with his interview and took a look around the open window where two other uniformed officers were. The name Raven Baxter sounded very familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"Is there anyone else that stays in the house with you or has access?" Eddie asked.

"I live alone and only the housekeeper has a key. I already told the other guy all of this," Raven said, referring to one of the uniformed officers. It was clear she was losing her patience.

"Listen, Eddie, why don't you check in with the other officers and I'll take over," Chelsea offered before things got out of hand. He gladly did so and Chelsea turned her attention to Raven.

The designer had on a silky black bathrobe and her dark curls were swept up into a messy bun, indicating that she was indeed preparing for a bath. She pulled the robe closer to her neck and it was clear that she was uncomfortable.

"Ms. Baxter…"

"Raven," the designer insisted as she looked at the detective, her voice soft.

"Raven," Chelsea said, correcting herself. "Is there anyone else you can stay with tonight?"

Raven sighed and made her way into the kitchen. Chelsea followed. The last thing she wanted was to be afraid to stay in her own home. Pulling open the fridge, she grabbed a bottle of water and offered one to the detective who declined.

"I guess I could stay in a hotel," she said finally.

"Well, if you'd like to get dressed and pack a few things, I'd be happy to drive you," Chelsea offered.

"Detective Daniels, could you come take a look at this please."

Chelsea excused herself and made her way into the living room. "What is it?"

"Looks like some fibers and a few fingerprints. We'll get it checked out and hopefully someone will pop up in the system," Eddie explained. "It's probably just a random burglary. I'd suggest Ms. Baxter get a security system…or maybe even a dog," Eddie joked quietly.

"Listen, why don't you guys take off and I'll finish up here. I'm going to make sure she gets to a hotel for tonight," Chelsea explained.

"Good luck. Maybe I can get back home before Chantel falls asleep," Eddie said, referring to his fiancé.

"Tell her I said hi," Chelsea said as Eddie left. He and Chantel had dated on and off for years before they finally decided to get married and Chelsea had been there for all of the ups and downs. It was like a roller coaster with those two.

After everyone left, Chelsea secured the window and waited downstairs while Raven packed a quick bag. She looked around the beautifully decorated home and wondered how much a place like this cost. Surely, it was nothing her salary would ever be able to afford.

Her eyes wandered to what looked like several awards adorning the bookshelves and on the wall were a few framed magazine covers. As she got closer and read them, it suddenly occurred to her who Raven Baxter was and she quickly twisted around to see if she could find the tag in the back of her pants.

"It's in the front."

Chelsea whipped around at the sound of Raven's voice. "Excuse me?" she said as she watched Raven descend the rest of the stairs. She had changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and her dark hair fell around her shoulders. She was beautiful.

"I assume you've realized who I am and you're looking for my label on your pants. It's in the front by your badge. I figured I'd be bold and put it in a different spot," Raven joked. She continued to watch as the detective checked for the tag again and smiled when a soft blush came to her cheeks. Raven thought she was cute.

"Sorry," Chelsea said, feeling silly. The tag was indeed sewn to the waistband and it read _Raven Baxter_ in bold, pink stitching.

Raven waved her off. "Please, don't be. It's refreshing when someone doesn't know who I am. The fortune is great, but the fame…not so much."

"Are you ready?" Chelsea asked. Raven nodded and they made their way to the front door.

* * *

Raven ended up driving her own vehicle and Chelsea followed her to the hotel in order to make sure she arrived safely. They stood at the front desk while the clerk checked her in and Chelsea looked around the mostly deserted hotel lobby.

"You never told me your first name?" Raven said as she studied the detective.

Chelsea turned to face her and decided that she could easily get lost in the designer's striking hazel eyes. "It's Chelsea."

Raven smiled. "Pretty name." The clerk finally handed her the key card and they made their way up to the room.

Chelsea hoped she wasn't blushing again. She wasn't sure why she was having this reaction to the designer, but she was starting to feel foolish.

"So," Raven began as they rode the elevator to her floor, "does everyone get this sort of an escort or am I special?" she joked.

"I just like to be thorough," Chelsea said, omitting the fact that Raven _was_ getting special treatment. It wasn't exactly something the SFPD announced.

Noticing that Raven hadn't responded, Chelsea looked over to see that the designer seemed to be staring into space, her eyes fixed on the closed elevator doors. "Ms. Baxter…Raven," Chelsea called as she waved a hand in front of the woman's face.

Raven took a deep breath and quickly looked at the detective who was staring at her concerned. "Sorry," she said with a nervous smile, "I must've been daydreaming."

Chelsea wasn't convinced, but decided not to question it. The elevator doors opened then and they proceeded down the hall to Raven's room.

"So, do you think it was just a robbery attempt?" Raven asked.

All night, the designer was sure of herself and in control, but suddenly she seemed nervous. Chelsea chalked it up to fear from the nights events catching up with her. "Most likely. I think you must've scared them off before they had a chance to take anything. I would recommend you get an alarm installed immediately," Chelsea said, surprised that she didn't have one already. Most people thought rich neighborhoods were the safest, but they were often prime targets for thieves looking to score big.

"But what if they try again? What if it wasn't just a robbery?" Raven asked.

Chelsea looked at her suspiciously. "Raven, if you know something about what happened, now is the time to tell me," the detective said.

Raven shook her head and proceeded to open the door to her room. "If I knew something, I'd tell you," she said defensively. "Look, thanks for the escort. I'm sure I'll be fine now." Barely looking at the detective, she quickly entered the room.

"Wait," Chelsea said as she put a hand up to stop the door from closing. Not sure why she cared so much, she didn't want them to part ways on a bad note. She dug through her pocket and pulled out a card. "If you need to call me for anything, you can reach me directly at this number."

Raven's face softened as she accepted the card. "Thank you, detective. Goodnight," she said kindly.

Chelsea stood outside until she heard the lock activate before making her way back down to the lobby.

* * *

"So, how was it last night?" Eddie asked his partner as he strolled into the precinct the next morning with two cups of coffee. He sat one down on Chelsea's desk and took a seat at his own, which was opposite hers.

Chelsea thanked him and took a sip of the steaming brew. "It was fine. She's actually not that bad."

Eddie huffed. "Well, you should have seen her before you showed up last night. People like her seem to forget that we're on her side."

"She was probably just scared," Chelsea said.

"Whatever," Eddie said, rolling his eyes. "What I can't believe is that someone with all that money doesn't have a security alarm."

Chelsea chose not to respond, knowing her partner's disdain for celebrities. She, on the other hand, had wondered about Raven Baxter all night, unable to get those hazel eyes out of her mind. She would have to find a way though. While she didn't share her partner's contempt for the rich and famous, she knew what a handful they could be and she certainly didn't want that kind of attention in her life.

Pushing the issue from her mind, Chelsea focused on her computer screen and got to work.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Date

**Chapter 2**

A few more days passed, but the detectives weren't having any luck with the case.

"Check it out, Chelsea," Eddie said one afternoon as he tossed a gossip magazine onto her desk. "Page twenty-six. There's an article about your girl."

Not sure who he was referring to at first, she flipped to the article and saw a picture of Raven Baxter walking down the street hand in hand with a woman. A quick scan of the article told her they were exiting a restaurant in L.A. and it was an ex-girlfriend. "Guess she isn't an ex anymore," Chelsea said indifferently as she closed the magazine and set it aside.

"She's always in the magazines for some reason or other," he said.

"That's hardly big news, Eddie. Heaven forbid she walks down the street with her girlfriend. The shocker is that you actually read those magazines enough to know that she's always in them," Chelsea teased. "Keep your opinions to yourself because I'm about to call her," Chelsea warned. She needed to give the designer an update.

Before Chelsea could pick up the phone, it rang. "Detective Daniels speaking," she answered. "Raven, I was just getting ready to call you." Chelsea shrugged as Eddie looked at her questioningly. "Sure…I'll see you then."

"What was that all about?" Eddie asked immediately.

"She says she needs to speak with me about something. I'm meeting her in half an hour."

"Probably another phantom burglar."

Chelsea looked at Eddie reproachfully. They had zero reason to believe this was a false report. "Dude, what is up with you? You're acting crankier than normal."

Eddie's face softened. "Sorry," he said. "It's Chantel. She's stressing me out with this whole wedding thing. My cookie-lips has _expensive_ taste."

Chelsea mentally rolled her eyes at Eddie's nickname for Chantel. "Why don't you just tell her to slow her roll?"

Eddie looked at her like she was crazy. "She won't take it very well."

"Better that you tell her now and let her be upset than to be drowning in debt before you're even married," Chelsea said as she straightened up some files on her desk.

"You are no help at all, Chelsea."

The detective smiled as she stood up and grabbed her jacket. "I'm going to meet Raven. I'll catch up with you later."

Eddie watched her go and sighed as he looked at the stack of files on his desk.

* * *

Raven sat outside at a small café with a glass of water. She nervously tapped the business card Detective Daniels had given her a few days ago on the table while she waited for her to arrive. It was a sunny day and her sunglasses were firmly in place as she watched the people around her.

San Francisco was one of the few places she could go without too much recognition and she loved it. Most people knew her name, not necessarily her face, but her publicist kept her informed at the alarming rate she seemed to be appearing in magazines more and more these days. She liked the anonymity she had, but it was slowly deteriorating and the attempted burglary from a few nights ago made her question just how much her privacy had been compromised.

When Raven finally saw the pretty detective coming her way, she felt a sense of relief wash over her, but she wasn't sure exactly why. She barely knew the woman. Sitting up a little straighter in her chair, she pushed her sunglasses up to rest on top of her head.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi. Is everything okay?" Chelsea asked as she took a seat across from the designer.

"Everything is fine. I just wanted to talk about the case in person rather than on the phone," Raven explained. She was starting to feel a little silly for dragging the detective out for no better reason.

"Well, unfortunately, we don't have much. The fibers were a dead end and the fingerprints aren't coming up in the database. Are you sure you can trust everyone that works for you?" Chelsea asked. A waiter approached and she ordered a glass of water.

"That's a loaded question," Raven said, chuckling softly. "When you become famous, you learn that most of the people around you just want something from you. But as far as the housekeeper goes, I trust her."

Chelsea noticed that the designer seemed to be troubled about something. "Are you sure there's nothing else?"

"Actually, I haven't even been home yet. I was wondering if…maybe you'd go with me," Raven said bashfully.

Chelsea watched her for a beat before answering. "Sure," she said gently. Raven gave a relieved smile and Chelsea felt her stomach flutter. _Oh boy_, she thought to herself.

* * *

"Everything is all clear," Chelsea said as she made her way down the last few steps to where Raven was waiting.

The designer let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I feel much better now," she smiled.

"No problem," Chelsea said and found herself returning the smile as they stood there staring at each other. "Well…I should get going."

"You don't have to," Raven said softly as she took a step closer. "Maybe we could…" She was cut off by a sound coming from the detective's pocket.

Chelsea quickly pulled her phone out to see that she had received a text from Eddie. "I have to get back to the station," she explained, "but…maybe I could come back later." Her heart sped up as she waited for a response. She couldn't believe she had the nerve to suggest it, but there was something about the designer that drew her in.

Raven smiled prettily. "That'd be nice."

After saying goodbye, Chelsea left the house and climbed into her car. _So much for not getting involved,_ she thought.

Eddie was going to freak.

* * *

"So, what did Raven want?" Eddie asked. His eyes remained focused on the road as he drove. They were on their way back to the station after checking out a call. The burglar was still inside the home when they arrived and had been apprehended easily.

Chelsea glanced at him from the passenger seat, knowing that it would be in her best interest to keep the fact that she was going to see Raven later to herself. "She was just scared to go back home. I went with her."

Eddie grunted. "You know, we have better things to do than babysit."

Chelsea furrowed her brow. It was obvious that she and her partner had developed two very different opinions of Raven Baxter and she found herself feeling defensive of the woman. "Eddie, we have dealt with people in the past, celebrity or not, who have been more difficult than Raven was. What is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem," Eddie retorted angrily as he pulled into the station, "but it sure does seem like you have a soft spot for her."

They got out of the car and Chelsea slammed the door a little harder than necessary. "So now you're going to pick a fight with me?"

"I'm not picking a fight, but you seem to be defending this woman at every turn."

"And you seem to dislike her for no good reason," Chelsea said. "This is ridiculous. My shift is over. I'll see you tomorrow."

Eddie watched as she made her way to her car and ran a frustrated hand through his hair before making his way inside.

* * *

Still jumpy from all that had happened, Raven nearly had a panic attack when she heard the doorbell ring. A quick glance at the clock told her that it was nearing seven-thirty and she quickly wiped her hands on a dishtowel before going to answer the door. A feeling of excitement ran through her when she saw the detective on the other side. Her hair, which was always in a ponytail whenever Raven saw her, flowed beautifully down her back and around her shoulders. She was dressed simply in a snug t-shirt, jeans and a pair of brown leather boots.

"Hi," Raven finally said.

"Hi…I'm sorry. I probably should have called first," Chelsea said, feeling self-conscious.

"No, it's okay. I'm just glad you came. Please, come in." She moved aside and studied Chelsea as she shut the door.

"Has everything been okay?" Chelsea asked.

"Fine. I'm still a little paranoid, but I think I'll be okay," Raven said before making her way to the kitchen.

Chelsea followed and took the opportunity to check the woman out, her full hips filling out the jeans she wore nicely. She couldn't remember a time in her life where she had ever been so attracted to someone.

"Something smells great," she said as she took a seat at the island.

Raven smiled and grabbed two oven mitts. "Well, I thought you might be hungry, so I made lasagna," she said, taking the dish out of the oven and sitting on the counter to cool.

"Um…actually, Raven…I'm a vegetarian," the detective said, feeling guilty. Raven pouted and Chelsea couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked.

"Oh," Raven said dejectedly. But her pout quickly turned into a grin as she hurried to the fridge. "Bam!" she exclaimed as she pulled out a clear glass bowl. It was filled to the top with a garden salad. "I got you covered," she said proudly.

* * *

"Your home is beautiful," Chelsea said a short while later as she looked around the dining room.

"Thanks," Raven said before taking a sip of wine. "Most of my work is in L.A., but I prefer to live away from the hustle and bustle. I used to want that when I was younger, but I've come to realize that it isn't important."

Chelsea laughed softly. "You talk as if you're old."

"I feel old sometimes. I'm twenty-eight. How about you?"

"Twenty-nine," Chelsea answered. "You must've had success at a very early age."

"I started my own clothing line before I finished high school. I did fairly well in a couple of the local stores, but my big break came when I landed an internship for Donna Cabonna. I'd like to say that my success came solely from my own talents, but sometimes it's all about who you know," Raven smiled.

"True, but talent must have a lot to do with it considering how popular your clothing is," Chelsea said.

"Thanks," Raven said. "So, how about you, detective? You seem pretty successful yourself."

Chelsea shrugged as she took a sip of wine. "After high school, I went to college for a couple of years to become an environmental biologist."

"An environmental biologist to a police officer," Raven inquired. "Seems like a strange transition."

"It was," the detective agreed. "When I was in high school, I was totally into the environment and being a vegetarian. I had every intention of becoming a biologist, but somehow everything changed. I decided that I wanted to really help the world in a very direct way and I couldn't think of anything better than becoming a police officer. Needless to say, my parents freaked, but eventually they supported me and here I am," she shrugged.

Raven listened closely, interested in learning everything she could about Chelsea. "Don't you ever get scared?" she asked.

"Believe me, I was at first. Ever since I was kid, I was always going on about the animals and how you shouldn't harm other living things, but then, suddenly, there I was being issued a gun and a badge," Chelsea explained. "I guess somewhere along the way I decided that it was important to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. And now…here I am in property crimes."

Raven let out a melodious chuckle. "Property crimes? I don't think I've ever heard of that division."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," the redhead smiled. "Actually, I started off as a homicide detective, but…it was difficult," Chelsea finished softly as she looked away and took a sip of her wine.

Raven watched her quietly and she could only imagine the horrors Chelsea must have seen as a cop. "Well," the designer began, "I, for one, will forever be grateful that you transferred to property crimes."

Chelsea returned Raven's bright smile.

* * *

After dinner, they moved to the living room, sitting closely on the sofa as they continued to talk, half empty wine glasses forgotten on the coffee table.

"When I was in high school, I had the biggest crush on Boyz 'N Motion," Raven admitted as Chelsea laughed. "Actually, I was kind of just boy crazy in general and rarely did it work out. I'm pretty sure I know why now," she joked.

"I dated a few guys," Chelsea said. "There was one who was pretty special. His name was Ben. We just kind of clicked." She hadn't thought about it in a long time, but she remembered the secret Ben had shared with her and all of the trouble it caused them in school. She had always kept that secret for him and decided that it was best to continue doing so. _Raven probably wouldn't believe it anyway_, Chelsea thought to herself.

"What happened to him?" Raven asked. She tucked one leg underneath herself and rested an arm on the back of the couch, giving herself a better view of the pretty detective.

"College. He went out of state. We tried to make it work, but eventually we grew apart. Needless to say, it wouldn't have worked out in the long run. In the end we were more like best friends than boyfriend and girlfriend anyway," she said.

Raven watched as Chelsea seemingly became lost in thought. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Chelsea snapped herself out of it. "I'm sorry," she said as she looked at Raven. "It was just a tough day at work. My partner and I got into a disagreement."

"Was it about me?" Raven asked.

The detective furrowed her brow. "What makes you think that?"

The designer shrugged innocently. "Just a guess. I've always been pretty perceptive. It's a gift." She was relieved when Chelsea seemed to accept the explanation. "I know he doesn't like me very much."

"Eddie's anger is just misplaced at the moment," Chelsea said.

"I don't want to cause trouble for you. Maybe we shouldn't…"

"No," Chelsea interrupted gently. She reached across the short distance between them and grabbed Raven's hand. "Eddie is my partner and my friend, but he doesn't dictate what I do or who I see," she said.

Raven was relieved to hear it. She caressed Chelsea's fingers with her own and moved a little closer. "I'm really glad you came tonight."

"Me, too," Chelsea said softly. She closed her eyes as Raven leaned in and her body tingled as she felt soft lips press against her own.

The attraction that both women felt was strong and they lost themselves in the kiss as it grew deeper. Raven was the first to break away, but it wasn't long before she moved in again, her tongue tasting Chelsea's lips before sliding inside.

Chelsea moaned softly. She didn't want to stop, but she pulled away and rested her head against Raven's. "That was…" she breathed, unable to describe how she felt.

Raven smiled beautifully as she looked into rich brown eyes. "I know," she agreed, but her smile fell when Chelsea stood up from the couch.

"I should probably get home," the redhead said, still a little breathless. She could have happily traded kisses with the designer all night long, but she didn't want to rush into anything no matter how badly her body yearned for it.

"You don't have to go," Raven said softly, moving to stand close to Chelsea. She settled her hands on the detective's hips and kissed her again.

Eventually, Chelsea managed to free her lips, but was unable to stop herself from planting one last kiss on Raven's mouth.

"Hey, I wasn't finished," Raven protested as she looked at Chelsea with a pout. She lightly brushed a lock of hair away from the detective's face. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm incredibly attracted to you," she confessed.

Chelsea smiled and kissed Raven yet again. "I'm attracted to you, too, but I don't want to rush this," she explained gently, laughing when Raven gave an exaggerated groan in defeat.

"So, when can I see you again?" the designer asked as she slowly rubbed her hands up and down the length of Chelsea's arms.

"My schedule can be pretty crazy sometimes, but I promise I'll call you," Chelsea said softly.

"I'll be waiting," Raven replied with a grin. She slowly walked the detective to the door, reluctant for her to leave. Chelsea's presence made her feel safe. "As you can see, my new security system has been installed," she said, pointing to the device located on the wall.

"Good," Chelsea said as she inspected it. She disliked the fact that they hadn't been able to find out anything more about who tried to break into the designer's home and she felt better about leaving if she knew Raven had some sort of protection. "Make sure you set it and check all of the doors and windows after I leave," Chelsea ordered as she slipped back into detective mode.

Raven thought the authoritative tone in the detective's voice was sexy. "Yes, ma'am," she said with a devilish grin.

Chelsea returned the smile and with one last kiss, she finally left.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Break Up

**Chapter 3**

The next morning, Chelsea felt happy and refreshed as she strolled into the precinct. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Raven and she couldn't wait to see her again. It had been a long time since she dated anyone, the demand of being a police officer not allowing much time for a personal life.

Arriving at her desk, she unloaded her things and set about checking her messages. Eddie arrived a few minutes later.

"Morning," he said quietly as he glanced at his partner.

"Good morning," Chelsea said indifferently as she continued to study the computer screen. It wasn't as if they had never gotten into a disagreement before, but sometimes Eddie could be a difficult person to get along with. Their coworkers often jokingly commended her on being able to work with him.

Eddie sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday. I don't know what got into me," he said.

Chelsea gave him her full attention as she looked away from her computer.

"We cool?" he asked, an innocent look on his face as he waited for his partner to forgive him.

"Yeah, we're cool," Chelsea acquiesced, deciding to let him off the hook. She smiled as Eddie held out his arm across the desk for a fist bump and she returned the gesture.

"I finally had that talk with Chantel," he said as he relaxed back into his chair.

"And how did she take it?"

"Not, too, well at first, but she cooled off after a while," Eddie explained. "I think I can finally stop stressing about how much this wedding is going to cost."

Chelsea was glad to hear it if it meant the end of her partner's cantankerous attitude.

"And I promise…" Eddie began as he rummaged through his desk drawers. He finally pulled out the worn gossip magazine from a few days ago and tossed it onto her desk. "No more raggin' on your girl." His phone rang just then and he answered it. "Thomas."

The magazine was creased open to the page that displayed the photo of Raven and the woman holding hands. Chelsea took a closer look at the article this time to see that the woman in the picture was the famous model Jordan Hilltopper. She felt the blood drain from her face as she considered what that photo could mean and her analytical brain went into overdrive. She had forgotten all about it. What if the designer was still seeing this other woman? Was Raven serious about what they had started last night or was she just using Chelsea for some quick fun? If she had given in and stayed with Raven last night, there was a good chance they would have ended up sleeping together. Was that all Raven wanted from her?

Chelsea closed the magazine and set it aside. As a detective, she knew better than to jump to conclusions. She would just have to ask Raven about it the next time she saw her.

"Let's roll, Chelsea," Eddie said as he hung up the phone and stood from his desk. "We've got two new witnesses that need interviewing from last night's case."

"Right behind you," she said, but her mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of the designer.

* * *

As it turned out, nearly two weeks passed before Chelsea and Raven saw each other again. The designer had been called away on business to L.A.

"A _cop_?" came the incredulous question from a high pitched voice.

Raven rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her ice water. She was having lunch with her publicist, Muffy Stevens. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is a bad thing!" Muffy said as she stared at Raven. "You're one of the hottest designers in the country right now. No one wants to open up a magazine and read about you dating a cop. How boring."

Raven held her tongue as she stared at the petite blond. Personally, she didn't much care for the woman, but professionally speaking, Muffy was very good at what she did. "First of all, she isn't _just_ a cop, she's a detective…"

"Bor-ing," Muffy said in a sing song voice as she stared at her menu.

"And second of all," Raven continued forcefully, "I don't choose who I date according to what the public wants to see."

"Raven, people want to see you with someone more your caliber. It's what keeps you relevant," the publicist tried to explain. "When you and Jordan were dating…"

Raven quickly held up a hand to cut her off. "Don't even go there," she warned. "As you well know, my relationship with Jordan was a disaster and I'll be damned if I go that route again just to _stay relevant_,"she mocked using air quotes.

"All I'm saying," Muffy began gently, "is that you can do much better." She chose to leave it there, knowing from years of experience how far she could push the designer before communication shut down completely.

Raven ignored her. "And whoever published that old picture of us is going to have hell to pay," she said.

* * *

For two weeks, Chelsea had been left to wonder if she had made a mistake by befriending the fashion designer. They spoke on the phone a few times and texted while she was in L.A., but it wasn't a conversation Chelsea wanted to have over the phone and now Raven was on her way over.

There was a soft knock on the door and Chelsea answered it, her heart beating faster at the sight of Raven. After closing the door behind her, she was met with a kiss and she allowed herself to become lost in the feel of warm, soft lips pressed against her own. No matter what her fears were, she couldn't deny how she felt.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you while I was gone," Raven smiled.

"I know what you mean," Chelsea whispered with one last kiss. "Have a seat. I'll get us something to drink."

Raven did as she was told and looked around the apartment. It wasn't huge, but it was spacious and inviting with built in bookshelves and other features that made for a cozy environment.

"Cute place," Raven commented as Chelsea joined her on the couch.

"Thanks," the detective said as she sat two bottles of water on the coffee table. She didn't want to drag it out, but she wasn't sure how to ask Raven without offending her. "So, how was your trip?" she asked instead.

Raven relaxed back into the couch and sighed. "Long. Filled with meetings. But," she said excitedly, sitting up once again, "my new line is almost finished!"

"That's great," Chelsea said, genuinely happy for her.

"Yeah, but I'm glad to be back home. L.A. seems to get crazier and crazier every time I go and the paparazzi are out of control," the designer said, shaking her head. "I'm sure I'll be appearing in about fifty magazines with some lie or exaggeration to go along with it."

Raven's obvious disdain for tabloids didn't make Chelsea's next question any easier. "Speaking of…I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Raven asked unsuspectingly as she reached for one of the water bottles.

"Listen, Raven, I really, _really_, like you and I…are you seeing anyone else?" Chelsea asked rather bluntly.

Raven paused, her brow furrowed. "Why would you think that?"

Chelsea pulled out the magazine, which had been buried under some scattered newspapers. "I saw this and I thought maybe I should ask."

Raven looked at the magazine with an unreadable expression on her face.

"I don't want to offend you, but…"

"But you thought I was just like every other celebrity you see on television who's dating someone new every fifteen minutes."

"No," Chelsea protested. "That's not what I..."

"You know what? Maybe this was all a bad idea." Raven stood from the couch and grabbed her purse.

"Raven…" Chelsea called as the designer began making her way to the door.

"And for your information, _detective_, that photo was taken nearly a year ago and I haven't seen her since. Just because I happen to be famous doesn't mean that I'm not a real person."

Chelsea watched helplessly as Raven left, the door slamming behind her. She dropped lifelessly to the couch and let out a loud sigh. "Way to go, Daniels," she said to the empty room.

* * *

"Wrong fabric, wrong color… I asked for the dark blue denim and the white cotton. We don't have time for mistakes like this," Raven said as she motioned for the interns to leave. She had been called back to L.A. nearly a week ago and it was nonstop work. Decisions needed to be made and designs needed to be finalized. The young designer sighed as the last intern shut the door to her office and leaned back in her chair. It was the first quiet moment she'd had all day…maybe all week. Releasing a new line was always a stressful time.

Raven knew her bad mood was the result of the last time she saw the detective. She knew they were moving pretty fast, but it had been a long time since she felt a connection like that with anyone.

Many second thoughts went through her head about how she had reacted that night. What else was Chelsea supposed to think after seeing a photo like that? But when the detective asked her if she was seeing anyone else, it brought up all sorts of old feelings and emotions concerning Jordan.

"Maybe it was too good to be true," the designer said softly to herself, hating to admit that maybe Muffy was right. Taking a deep breath, she pushed any thoughts of the detective away and got back to work.

* * *

"Quick, Chelsea! He's going out the back!" Eddie yelled as he ran down the front steps of the rundown home.

Chelsea, who had been keeping a lookout from the sidewalk, quickly went into action as she ran along the side of the house and through the dilapidated gate. She saw the suspect hop a fence and quickly gave chase. She could hear Eddie talking into his radio behind her, but she didn't look back as she watched the suspect darting between homes. The man suddenly rounded a corner and she quickly lost sight of him.

Pulling her weapon, she eased around the corner slowly and silently cursed when the suspect was nowhere in sight. Taking a calming breath, she eased along what looked to be an abandoned factory of some sort until she came to a partially opened doorway. Stepping inside cautiously, she couldn't see much, but continued forward, aided by a few rays of sunlight peeking in through a broken window.

The detective listened carefully, making sure to step lightly, but she was suddenly startled by the crackle of her radio and Eddie's voice asking where she was. A split second later, she heard a grunt and felt the weight of something slam against her back. She fell to her knees, but managed to keep a hold of her weapon. Turning around as quickly as she could, she saw the suspect hurry from the building and she followed suit.

As she stepped back out into the sunlight, she could see the suspect, but pain was exploding through her shoulder. Luckily, Eddie rounded the corner just then and she pointed in the direction the suspect had gone.

"That way!" she yelled as her partner approached. Police sirens could be heard nearby and she caught up with Eddie as quickly as she could.

* * *

Finally back home, all Raven wanted was a shower and to feel the soft sheets of her bed against her skin.

Grabbing the mail, she unlocked her door, deactivated the security alarm and tossed the stack of envelopes onto the coffee table before making her way toward the stairs.

Her phone rang just then and she groaned at the intrusion, but smiled when she saw who it was.

"Hi, Dad," she answered.

"_Hi, sweetheart. You sound tired_," said the voice of Victor Baxter on the other end of the line.

"I am tired. Being a fashion designer is no easy feat."

"_Yeah, but look at how great you are at it_," Victor said, never missing a moment to praise his daughter's successes.

Raven smiled, feeling better already. "My show is in a few weeks. You and mom are going to be there right?" she asked. No matter how successful she became, she always wanted and appreciated the support of her family.

"_We sure will_," he reassured. "_I think your brother might even try and make it this time._"

Raven's brother Cory had turned out to be a great businessman and he had his hand in several projects that proved to be quite lucrative.

"_So_," Victor continued, "_have you had any interesting visions lately?_"

Ever since she was a child, Raven had psychic visions. At any given time, scenes would play out in her mind and more often than not, the visions came true. It was a gift that was inherited from her mother's side of the family, so there was some comfort in knowing that she wasn't alone. The strange ability had made for many awkward moments throughout her life though and only her family knew about it. Ever since she was a kid, she had a strong fear of being labeled a freak and so her secret remained just that. Sometimes, she marveled at how she had gotten so far in life without anyone noticing.

"Nothing terribly mind boggling," she said. "Although, I did have a vision of some guy I don't know. He was sort of just staring at me."

"_Well, I'm not so sure I like the sound of that_," Victor said concerned. "_You make sure to be careful._"

"I will, Dad. I promise," Raven said. She decided to omit the fact that there had been an attempted break in, knowing that her father would be there in a heartbeat if he knew.

After a few more minutes, they said their goodbyes and Raven finally made her way upstairs. Just as her foot hit the first step, she froze in place. Her eyes stared straight ahead, unwavering, as she saw a vision play out in her mind.

The vision ended and she took a deep breath. "Oh no," she whispered before grabbing her purse and quickly leaving the house.

* * *

He watched as the car raced away from the curb before standing from behind the bushes. Just as he had been about to look through the window, the front door opened and she quickly ran out to her car.

With one last glance around the quiet neighborhood, he walked up to the front door and checked the knob, a smile coming to his face as he realized that she had forgotten to lock it in her hurry.

**Note:** I realize that the character's name is actually Jordache Hilltopper in the show, but I chose to change it to Jordan for this story.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Make Up

**Chapter 4**

Chelsea groaned in frustration as she heard the knock at her door. Her shoulder was killing her and all she wanted to do was lay perfectly still on the couch for at least the rest of the night. A quick glance at the clock and she could see that it was nearly ten. Maybe it was Mrs. Ryan from down the hall. She liked to bring Chelsea homemade treats, occasionally, and tell her how much she appreciated having a police officer in the building.

When the knock sounded again, she forced herself up from the couch. After unlocking the door, she snatched it open in annoyance, but stopped short when she saw Raven standing on the other side.

"Hi," the designer said softly, slightly out of breath. Chelsea stood there still dressed in her work clothes. Her hair fell around her shoulders messily, her blouse was un-tucked and a few buttons were undone, revealing the top of a lacey bra underneath, and she was barefoot. Raven thought she looked beautiful.

"Hi," the detective returned just as softly. All of her anger left her as she stared at the designer. Chelsea honestly hadn't been sure if she would ever see her again. "Come in," she said quickly, realizing that she had just been staring.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late. I guess I could have just called," Raven said nervously. She could see that the detective was fine, but she couldn't tell Chelsea that she had rushed all the way over just to see if she was okay. It would raise, too, many questions that she just wasn't ready to answer. She would have to think of another excuse.

"It's alright," Chelsea said.

"I know my timing is really bad, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about the other day," Raven said. It wasn't the real reason she was there, but it was true enough. "I overreacted and that was unfair to you."

"No," Chelsea said softly as she moved closer, taking Raven's hands in hers. "You don't have to apologize. I didn't mean to offend you…it's just…I've never felt this way about anyone before, especially not this quickly, and I just needed to know if you felt the same," she finished, feeling vulnerable after admitting how strong her feelings for the designer were.

Raven's heart melted as she listened to Chelsea. "I do feel the same. I'm sorry," she said again as she leaned in to kiss Chelsea softly.

Chelsea welcomed the kiss and returned it with hunger as she held Raven tightly.

"I missed you," Raven said against Chelsea's lips.

"I missed you, too," the detective breathed, becoming lost in the long, deep kisses.

"Are we crazy?" Raven asked softly after a few moments.

"…maybe a little," Chelsea laughed.

Raven joined her and brought her hands up to cup Chelsea's shoulder blades. She pulled away in concern when the redhead moaned in pain instead of pleasure. "What's wrong?" she asked, worry clear in her eyes.

Chelsea pulled away slightly and her brow furrowed. "It's my shoulder," she said as she slowly made her way to the couch.

"What happened?" Raven asked, helping her along.

Chelsea took a deep breath as she sat down slowly. "Just the hazards of the job," she said sarcastically. "A suspect nailed me in the back with a board."

"Did you go to the hospital?" she asked, gently rubbing the detective's leg in comfort.

"No. I think I'll be okay, I just need to take it easy."

"You should at least put something on it," Raven said.

Chelsea chuckled. "I was going to just as soon as I worked up the energy. But first, I figured I'd lay here on the couch for a couple of days."

Raven finally noticed the blanket that was crumpled at the end of the couch and a half-eaten container of food on the coffee table and realized that the detective was probably serious. "Let me help you," she offered softly.

Chelsea looked at the beautiful designer tenderly and allowed herself to be led into the bathroom.

* * *

"Do you at least have any ointment?" Raven asked as she rifled through the medicine cabinet.

"Check the drawer," Chelsea said as she began unbuttoning her shirt.

Raven turned around once the small tube was located and her breath caught at the beautiful sight before her. Chelsea's head was bent down as she undid the last of her buttons and her shirt parted to reveal smooth skin and the black, lacey bra beneath. She began shrugging the shirt from her shoulders and Raven snapped herself out of it when she saw the redhead wince in pain.

"Let me get it," she said as she moved behind Chelsea. She slowly pulled the shirt down and off and looked on in empathy as more of Chelsea's skin was exposed. "Sweetheart, this bruise is awful," she said softly as she looked at the discolored skin on her right shoulder blade. It stood out in stark contrast to the rest of the pale skin.

The term of endearment did not go unnoticed by Chelsea and she closed her eyes as Raven softly caressed her arms. She felt the strap of her bra slip down and she moaned as Raven began massaging the salve in.

"Feel any better?" Raven asked.

"A lot, actually," Chelsea said, but she was sure it was Raven's touch just as much as the ointment. She opened her eyes when she felt a soft kiss against her uninjured shoulder, her gaze connecting with Raven's in the mirror.

* * *

A few minutes later, Raven stood in Chelsea's bedroom as the redhead searched through her drawers for something comfortable to sleep in. While Chelsea went to the bathroom to change, she looked around at the space and found it to be inviting. There were a few decorative pictures hanging on the wall and two nightstands on either side of the large bed. A flat screen television was mounted on the wall across from the bed.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?" Chelsea offered as she returned to the room.

"Actually, I should probably get going," Raven said reluctantly.

Chelsea closed the distance between them and kissed Raven who gladly welcomed the contact. "Don't go," she whispered before kissing her again, deeper this time.

"Are you sure?" Raven asked.

"Yes…I mean…I don't think I can do much with this shoulder other than lie on my back, but…"

"That might not be such a bad thing," Raven interrupted with an impish smile.

Chelsea grinned against Raven's lips as they continued to exchange kisses. "We don't have to do anything," she said softly, although her body was saying otherwise. "Besides, I think the overwhelming scent of menthol might kill the mood," she joked, smiling when Raven laughed. "I just want to be near you."

"Okay," Raven agreed easily, wanting to be with Chelsea just as much, even if all they did was hold each other.

Chelsea quickly found Raven something to sleep in and gave her a spare toothbrush to use. After making sure the door was locked and turning off the lights, she lay in bed waiting for the designer to return and was immediately turned on when she appeared in the oversized SFPD t-shirt. It stopped at mid-thigh and exposed the smooth skin of her legs.

"This is fun," Raven grinned as she quickly hopped onto the bed climbed under the blankets. "It's like we're in grade school having a sleep over." They wasted no time as they gravitated toward one another, trading long, deep kisses.

"I never did that in grade school," Chelsea panted, resulting in a giggle from Raven.

They laid there simply enjoying each other's touch before Chelsea spoke up again. "Tell me about Jordan," she said gently, not wanting a repeat of before. She watched as Raven closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"What do you want to know?" she asked. She didn't really want to talk about it, but she also wanted to be honest with Chelsea.

"How did you two meet?" the redhead asked.

"Well, I met her before at different fashion shows," Raven began, "but we didn't start dating until I moved to L.A. I was bright-eyed and stupid and I didn't realize just how ruthless that world could be. Jordan was amazing, at first. I had heard a few things about her, but I chose not to believe them because she so wonderful to me. We were pretty hot and heavy for a while."

Chelsea continued to listen.

"Then one day after we had both gotten back from extended trips, she seemed…cold," Raven said. "I was excited to see her, but she started treating me like I was nothing more than a stranger. She started accusing me of things that weren't true…"

Chelsea could see where the story was going, but remained quiet.

"Needless to say I found out that she had cheated on me…with a man. It was a photographer," Raven finished.

"I'm sorry," Chelsea said as she stroked Raven's hair.

"Yeah, well…like I said, I was stupid and in love and I really thought she was the one. If I had just listened, it would have saved me a lot of heartache," the designer said. Even her parents had gotten bad vibes from Jordan. "Chels?" Raven asked. "This was all over the magazines. You mean to tell me you never heard about any of it?"

The redhead smirked. "Nope. I was probably still working homicide at that time and was only home long enough to sleep and shower. There are times when I have no life outside of work. Maybe you should get out while you can," she joked.

Raven leaned in to kiss her lightly on the lips. "No way."


	5. Chapter 5 - The Sleepover

**Chapter 5**

Early the next morning, Chelsea groaned as she rolled onto her back. Her shoulder was stiff and it felt worse than the day before, but she forced herself to sit up, knowing she had to get ready for work. Looking over at Raven who was sleeping soundly, she carefully leaned over to place a kiss on her cheek before climbing from the warm bed. After making sure the designer was tucked in, Chelsea made her way to the bathroom for a shower.

A short while later, when she returned to her bedroom dressed and ready for her day, she saw that Raven was still asleep. "Raven, wake up," she said quietly as she took a seat on the edge of the bed, rubbing a soothing hand up and down the designer's back. Raven moaned softly and finally opened her eyes.

"What time is it?" she asked groggily.

"Almost seven. I have to get to work," Chelsea explained.

Raven could see that she was completely dressed and she hadn't heard any of it. "How's your shoulder?"

"It's still sore, but better," Chelsea answered as she brushed some of the hair away from Raven's face. "Listen, I need to get going, but you should get some more sleep. Stay as long as you want and help yourself to whatever's in the fridge," she offered.

Raven smiled and gave a cat like stretch. "I want you to stay with me."

Chelsea looked at the warm bed longingly. "You don't know how much I want to," she said before leaning down to kiss Raven softly. After a few minutes, she pulled away slowly and stood from the bed much to Raven's dismay. "I'll call you later."

"Okay," Raven said as she watched Chelsea leave. After hearing the apartment door close, she sighed in contentment and snuggled back under the blankets to get some more rest.

* * *

"Chelsea, you should've stayed home," Eddie said as he watched her sit up straighter in her chair. She winced as strain was put on her injured shoulder.

"I'm fine. Besides, all of this paperwork isn't going to get done by itself," she said, gesturing to the stacks of files on both their desks.

"Yeah, but it's not going anywhere either. It'll still be here in a couple of days," he joked.

Chelsea smiled and grabbed a file off the top of the heap. After a few minutes of entering some information into the computer, her cell phone chimed.

Eddie watched as she looked at what seemed to be a text message and smiled. She rapidly typed something in response and continued with her work.

"Chelsea," Eddie said after a few more minutes of staring at her.

"What?" she asked, her eyes never leaving the computer screen.

"Girl, stop playin' and tell me who that was."

"Excuse you, I don't recall you being my father," she said flippantly.

"Please, I know you, too, well," he said, ignoring her comment. "You're seeing somebody aren't you?"

Chelsea watched annoyed as a knowing smirk formed on his face. "Maybe," she responded cryptically. She didn't plan on keeping it a secret forever, but today she had no intentions of telling Eddie that she had been seeing Raven. Besides, their relationship was new and she didn't want to jump the gun by announcing it to anyone before she even really knew what was going on.

One thing she did know was that she was unbelievably attracted to the beautiful fashion designer. There was no denying the physical pull, but there was also something more. After the horrible misunderstanding about whether or not Raven was seeing anyone else, Chelsea felt her heart break when Raven left her apartment in anger. It was as if she had just lost her best friend. But now she understood why Raven had behaved the way she did. She was still a little worried about dating a celebrity, wondering if her life would all of a sudden be on display, but it was a chance the detective was willing to take if it meant being with the designer.

* * *

Raven smiled as she poured some bath oil into the steaming water. Chelsea was due at her house any moment and she wanted to surprise the detective by running a nice relaxing bath to soothe her injured shoulder. The tub was large enough to fit two people and Raven had to stop that train of thought before she got carried away. Tonight was for Chelsea to relax and nothing more.

"Yeah right," Raven said aloud as she turned off the water before making her way downstairs.

As she walked into the kitchen to prepare a snack for them, she remembered the stench she had come home to that evening and gave the air a test sniff. It was odd, but she had no idea where the odor had come from. It seemed to be gone for the time being, but she would have to be sure and have her maid clean every nook and cranny.

Smiling as she finished preparing a fruit and cheese tray, Raven grabbed two glasses and a bottle of wine to take upstairs.

* * *

Chelsea hoped she wasn't being, too, forward by bringing an overnight bag and clutched the handles tightly as she made her way to the front door of the designer's beautiful home. The sun was setting and the automatic lights were shining brightly from where they stood in the flower beds on either side of the porch.

The detective looked around the property observantly as she approached the door. It hadn't been that long since the attempted break in—nearly a month—and she was glad to see that nothing appeared out of order. She would be sure to do a more thorough check later.

Ringing the doorbell, she waited patiently for Raven to answer and it wasn't long before she was looking into lovely hazel eyes. Chelsea was quickly pulled inside and Raven wasted no time in kissing her hello.

"Hi," Raven said against Chelsea mouth. She smiled when the redhead moaned in response. "How was your day?"

"Long and sore," Chelsea said as she allowed herself to be pulled into a comforting hug. She buried her face in Raven's neck, inhaling the wonderful scent.

"I have a surprise for you," the designer smiled as she pulled away slightly.

"If it's food, I'll promise to love you forever," Chelsea said without thinking. A blush immediately rose to her cheeks and she watched as a slow grin spread across Raven's face. "I…I mean…"

Raven laughed softly. "It's okay," she reassured with a kiss. "I know what you meant."

Chelsea took a deep breath and allowed herself to be led upstairs.

* * *

"Just a few more minutes," the detective said to herself as she closed her eyes and relaxed in the large bathtub. She had been soaking for nearly twenty minutes and the hot water was doing wonders for her shoulder. Her mind kept imagining the designer in the spacious tub with her.

Standing up, she grabbed the fluffy towel that had been left out for her and quickly dried her body. She looked around the spacious bathroom and saw a robe hanging on the back of the door. It was the same silky, black robe Raven had been wearing the night of the attempted break in.

* * *

After making sure the security alarm was set, Raven made her way upstairs to wait for Chelsea. Stopping at her dresser, she took off her earrings and other jewelry before making her way over to the bed. A few minutes later, the door opened and she saw the detective walk out wearing her robe.

Chelsea made her way over to the bed and sat down next to the designer. "I hope you don't mind," she said, gesturing to the silky robe as she removed the clip from her hair.

"Not at all," Raven said distractedly as she watched the red tresses spill around the other woman's shoulders. "It looks good on you," she smiled. She watched for a moment as Chelsea turned her attention to the tray of fruit sitting on the bed behind them and munched on some grapes. "Let me look at your shoulder," she said, urging Chelsea to turn around so that her back was to Raven. The designer held her breath as the robe slid down, exposing the smooth skin of the redhead's back. She brought a hand up to push her hair aside and gently ran her other hand over the bruised area.

"How does it look?" Chelsea asked softly, trying to control her body's reaction to Raven's touch.

"Much better. How does it feel?" Raven asked as she continued to run her hands gently over the skin of Chelsea's back.

"Much better," Chelsea said softly. "Especially when you do that."

Raven's touches became firmer and she leaned forward to place a light kiss against Chelsea's neck.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of Raven's lips against her skin. Maneuvering until she was facing her, Chelsea kissed Raven hungrily. "I don't want to stop this time," she whispered as she pulled back to look into Raven's eyes.

"Neither do I," Raven said breathlessly.

Chelsea helped Raven undress and it wasn't long before both women were naked. They lay in the center of the bed, sharing long, slow kisses, legs tangled and bodies pressed together, hands and mouths exploring, tasting, touching.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Chelsea and Raven lay closely on the bed facing each other, their cooling bodies having migrated underneath the blankets. They had taken their time, neither wanting to rush the experience and now they rested, softly touching each other, sated for the moment.

"That was amazing," Raven said softly as her hand caressed Chelsea's hip and thigh underneath the covers. Her body tingled at just the thought of what the redhead had done with her hands and mouth.

Chelsea closed the short distance between them and kissed Raven's lips firmly. She couldn't seem to get enough of her. She trailed kisses down to her chin and then to her neck where she used her tongue to taste the warm skin. "Raven?" Chelsea asked.

"Huh?" the designer responded, only halfway paying attention. She rolled onto her back as Chelsea continued to kiss her neck and she was amazed at how her body could be aroused again so soon.

"If I ask you something, you promise you won't get mad?" Her lips moved back to the designer's mouth and she kissed her deeply, her tongue delving inside to caress Raven's. She pressed her leg between smooth thighs and settled their bodies together once again.

Raven was left breathless when Chelsea pulled away, unable to stop her hips from rocking against the firm thigh. "Mmhm," she said, finally answering the detective's question.

Chelsea was just as affected as she continued to kiss Raven over and over again, her hips moving at a steady pace against Raven's. Her question was forgotten for the moment as her hand caressed a full breast. Raven moaned and Chelsea continued her journey downward as her hand reached between them. Her fingers slid into the soft, warm flesh between Raven's thighs and massaged steadily, slowly.

"Don't stop," the designer whispered. She could feel the pressure building quickly.

Chelsea continued, her fingers entering the warmth deeply as Raven moaned, her body reaching its climax. She slowed her movements as Raven's hips stilled and tapered her kisses.

As her body relaxed once again, Raven opened her eyes and smiled over at Chelsea. She recognized the desire in the redhead's pretty, brown eyes and gently pushed her until she was lying on her back.

"So," she began as she straddled Chelsea's waist, "what was it you wanted to ask me?"

Chelsea had forgotten all about the question and blushed, having lost her nerve. It was silly. She wasn't sure why she even brought it up.

Raven smiled as she saw the detective's cheeks turn red. "Chelsea, after all of the things we've done to each other tonight, you mean to tell me that whatever you're going to ask me makes you blush?" She was charmed as she leaned down to place a kiss on the redhead's lips and then a soft peck on her warm cheek before sitting up again.

"Well, I was just wondering…if maybe there are…I don't know…rules or something I should know about dating a celebrity," she finished awkwardly, her fingers nervously playing along the soft skin of the designer's hips and thighs. Her eyes were focused on Raven's navel, too, embarrassed to look and see what her reaction was.

Raven slowly grinned as she looked down at Chelsea. Here was this woman, strong and passionate in one instance and shy and innocent in the next. She was pretty sure she was falling in love with the detective. Leaning down, she kissed her once again. "Oh, Chels," she sighed happily against the redhead's mouth, "I'm just a simple girl with a private jet…"

Chelsea felt Raven shaking with laughter and soon joined in as she recognized the lyrics from the old Maisha song. But the laughter and her embarrassment were soon forgotten as the designer's hands found her breasts and her lips and tongue began trailing kisses down her stomach.

* * *

"Chels?" Raven said as they relaxed inside the warm bubble bath together. They had been enjoying a wonderful, relaxing weekend together with minimal interruption from the respective places of business.

"Hmm?" the redhead responded, a small smile forming on her face at Raven's new nickname for her. Her hands massaged the foot that was resting in her lap.

"My show is coming up pretty soon in L.A. I would love it if you came," she said.

"Well, I'd have to make sure I could get some time off, but I'd like that," Chelsea said, watching as a large grin spread across Raven's face.

"Raven?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you really have a private jet?"


	6. Chapter 6 - The Bet

**Chapter 6**

It had been a long, wonderful weekend and Chelsea looked down at her painted fingernails for the hundredth time that morning as she entered the precinct. She knew Eddie wasn't going to let her hear the end of it, but she was just glad he wouldn't be able to see her pedicure, too.

She and Raven had spent their time making love and getting to know each other better. When the designer found out how long it had been since she had last been to a salon, she insisted that they get manicures and do a little shopping. Her feelings for Raven were growing rapidly and she was pretty sure she would have agreed to just about anything at that point.

After making herself a cup of tea, she sat down at her desk and checked her messages while she waited for her partner to arrive. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep the fact that she was seeing Raven a secret for long, but she hoped today wouldn't be the day that she would have to tell him. If dating a celebrity was anything like she thought it would be, plenty of people would know about it soon enough.

"Morning, Chelsea," Eddie said as he breezed into the precinct.

"Morning," she returned as she watched him get settled at his desk. He had a stern look in his face as he logged into his computer. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Eddie looked through one of his desk drawers and slammed it a little harder than necessary. "Fine."

Chelsea furrowed her brow. The last thing they needed was another misunderstanding due to Eddie's attitude. "Tell me what's wrong," she said, deciding not to let him off the hook.

Eddie sighed loudly and stopped what he was doing. "Chantel and I got into an argument this morning."

"I thought you guys settled everything?" Sometimes Chelsea wondered how their relationship survived at all.

"I thought so, too, but now her mom is butting in," he said.

The phone on Chelsea's desk rang before he could continue and she gave him an apologetic look before answering.

* * *

Later on that day, Chelsea returned to the precinct after volunteering to buy lunch. She was immediately hit with an incredibly strong odor.

"What is that smell?" she asked disgustedly as she made her way to her desk with the food.

Eddie rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Some guy they brought in for questioning."

"Well, you can have my lunch. My appetite is completely ruined," she said, watching in disbelief as Eddie happily dug into the extra food.

* * *

After her shift was finally over, Chelsea called Raven and asked if she would meet her at her apartment with the promise of picking something up for dinner. When she arrived, they met in the parking lot and held hands.

"You look beautiful," Chelsea complimented as they made their way inside. It was no surprise considering she was a fashion designer. Her clothes were always beautiful.

Raven smiled shyly. "Thank you."

"How was your day?" Chelsea asked after they entered the apartment. She sat the food on the small dining room table and gave her attention to the designer.

"Pretty hectic," Raven said as she gathered Chelsea close. "I have to leave for L.A. soon. I was thinking maybe you could meet me there Friday."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Chelsea said as they finally shared a hello kiss.

Raven tightened her hold around the redhead as they continued to embrace. Having someone to share her day with was something she missed terribly.

After her breakup with Jordan, she realized that a lot had been lacking in their relationship from the start, but she had been, too, much in love to realize it. She had been so in love, in fact, that she had almost considered telling Jordan that she was psychic. Luckily, her instincts had stopped her from doing so and it would have been a disaster if she had. The supermodel had even gone so far as to bash her in a few interviews after their breakup and she couldn't imagine what the woman would have done with the knowledge of her being psychic. It had been a very difficult time in her life and career and she was thankful it was over.

But she was pretty sure she had gotten it right this time with Chelsea. She was a normal person, untainted by the ways of fame and celebrity and Raven was glad she hadn't listened to Muffy after all. She wasn't interested in dating someone for status. She simply wanted an honest to goodness love and she was confident she had found it in the detective. Now, it was just a matter of telling her. A part of her was nervous considering how her last relationship had ended, but Jordan and Chelsea couldn't be any more different and she wasn't going to let her ex ruin a new chance at love.

Oblivious to Raven's internal thoughts, Chelsea slowly ended the kiss before pulling her into a long hug. She rested her head on Raven's shoulder and inhaled her lovely scent, her eyes closed in complete contentment.

"Raven?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Hmm?" the designer responded as she slowly rubbed her hands across Chelsea's back.

"Do I stink?"

Raven pulled away and looked at the redhead with a furrowed brow; half confusion, half amusement. "What?"

"There was a guy at work today and he smelled awful. The entire squad room was filled with B.O.," she explained.

"Well, fortunately, it didn't permeate," Raven said. She playfully buried her face in Chelsea's neck and placed a few kisses there for good measure, causing the redhead to laugh.

* * *

"Feel better?" Raven asked a while later as Chelsea came out of the bathroom freshly showered.

"Much," the detective said as she took a seat on the couch next to the designer. She put an arm around her and settled in to watch the movie that was on. "It feels kind of surreal that you're sitting here with me in my apartment."

Raven smiled as she looked at Chelsea. "I promise I'm a normal person. Being here with you is like heaven right now," she said, and she meant every word of it. She still enjoyed some of the perks of being a celebrity, but the older she got, the more private she became. Her secret demanded it anyway.

Chelsea leaned in to kiss Raven's lips softly. She loved Raven's lips. Full and soft. Sexy. They continued to kiss slowly, but were stopped by the buzzing of a phone and both looked to the coffee table to see whose it was.

"It's me. I'd better take this," Raven said before stealing one last kiss.

The detective sighed happily as she watched the designer wander into the bedroom before heading to the kitchen for something to drink. As she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, there was a knock on the door. Thinking that it might be Mrs. Ryan from down the hall, she quickly answered it, but was shocked to find her partner standing there instead.

"Eddie…what are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes darting to the partially closed bedroom door.

"Sorry I didn't call first," Eddie said as he walked past her and into the living room like he had done many times before. "This thing with Chantel is messing me up, so I went for a drive and ended up here." He plopped down onto the sofa and pulled out his cell phone to make sure he hadn't missed any calls.

Chelsea could only stare as she shut the door.

Eddie finally looked up from his phone when he realized he heard talking that wasn't coming from the television and a smile lit up his face. "Is that your mystery person in there?" he asked.

"It won't be a mystery for long," Chelsea mumbled as she watched the door open and Raven walk out into the living room. The smile slipped from Eddie's face and Raven stood there seemingly uncertain about what to do.

"Ummm…" Raven was at a loss for words, knowing perfectly well how Detective Thomas felt about her.

"So…Eddie…Raven is my mystery person," Chelsea finally confessed.

Eddie was completely aware of the fact that Chelsea dated women, but he just wondered why it had to be _that_ woman. He watched as his partner made her way over to stand by the fashion designer and grabbed her hand.

"Well, aren't you going to say anything?" Chelsea asked, wanting the awkwardness to be over already.

Eddies sighed and sagged even further into the couch. "What am I gonna do about Chantel?" he asked exasperatedly.

Chelsea and Raven exchanged confused looks before Chelsea moved to sit next to him. "Tell me what happened," she asked, deciding to take advantage of that fact that he was, too, wrapped up in his own problems to care about who she was dating.

Raven listened as the two detectives spoke and was suddenly pulled into a vision. A few minutes later, she was back in the present and quickly looked around to make sure they hadn't noticed.

"Um, excuse me," she said as she took a seat on the sofa next to Chelsea, a small smile forming on her face. "I think I might know how you can fix things with your fiancé."

Eddie looked at her suspiciously. "I doubt it considering you don't even know her."

"Well, that may be true, but I've overheard plenty and I _am_ a woman. Women know women," she said matter-of-factly.

Eddie continued to eyeball her, but acquiesced. "I'm listening."

Chelsea just watched as Raven grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

"Well, first of all, detective, you need to put your foot down," Raven said as she lightly slapped at his knee. Eddie just stared as if she were crazy. "You need to remind her of why you two fell in love in the first place and make her realize that if it's real then that's all you guys need," Raven said, remembering her vision. It appeared that Chantel was a romantic at heart and those words coming from Eddie would make her melt.

"It's not that simple," Eddie said, shaking his head.

Raven knew it would be difficult to make him take her advice. "Tell you what…if you go home right now and tell her that and she still doesn't listen to you, I'll design her wedding dress…for free," the designer said confidently.

Eddie and Chelsea both looked shocked. It was easy to forget that they were sitting there with a famous fashion designer who was rich because she was very good at what she did.

"Uh, Eddie, if I were you, I'd take that bet," Chelsea advised.

"Deal," Eddie said, standing up and holding out his hand for Raven to shake on it. "You better start designin', girl!"

Raven and Chelsea watched as he let himself out of the apartment without so much as a goodbye.

"That was interesting," Chelsea said as she turned to face a smiling Raven. "What makes you so sure Chantel is going to listen?"

Raven desperately wished she could tell Chelsea how she knew, but it was still too soon. "Perceptive," she said, smiling secretively.

"Oh, really?" Chelsea said as she pulled the detective closer. "Then what am I thinking about right now?"

A knowing grin spread across Raven's face as she leaned in to kiss the detective slowly.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Misunderstanding

**Chapter 7**

"I'm so sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport," Raven apologized as she held Chelsea's hand, leading her further into her home after a long hello kiss.

"It's okay," Chelsea said as she continued to follow Raven. Her flight to L.A hadn't taken long, but it was long enough for her fears about dating a celebrity to come to the forefront again. She had been spoiled in getting to know Raven on her own turf in San Francisco, but L.A. had a different vibe.

"I have a few last minute meetings this afternoon and my parents will be in town later. I hope you don't mind if we have dinner with them. After that I was thinking that maybe you and I could go out for drinks," the designer said before finally leading them to her bedroom so she could finish getting ready.

"Sounds good." The detective looked around as Raven moved back and forth between the bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. The bedroom was at least twice as big as her own. "I thought you had people to help you with this sort of thing," she said as she played with some of the jewelry strewn about.

Raven smiled as she slid a bracelet over her hand. "Sometimes I do. My stylist was here earlier." She knew Chelsea had lots of questions and she didn't blame her. She liked to think of herself as a normal person, but she knew that fame opened up doors to a lifestyle that would be foreign to the average person.

Finally finished, she gave a small twirl and held out her arms. "Well, how do I look?"

Chelsea stood from where she had been sitting on the bed and moved in front of her. "Do you really have to ask?" she said as she brought a hand to Raven's face and kissed her lips softly. "You're beautiful."

"You make me feel beautiful," Raven smiled before returning the kiss. It was so easy to forget about the rest of the world when she was with Chelsea and she nearly did before remembering her obligations. She ended the kiss reluctantly.

"You should get going or you're going to be late," Chelsea said.

"Okay," the designer breathed, ready to swoon at the way Chelsea made her feel. "I hate that you just got here and I have to leave you already."

"It's okay," Chelsea smiled. "I know you have a lot to do before tomorrow. I'll just give myself a tour and make myself at home."

"Please, do," Raven said seriously. "I shouldn't be gone for more than a few hours.

Chelsea walked Raven to the door and it felt strangely as if they had been doing it forever. With a final kiss goodbye, she turned to look around the spacious home before deciding to find the kitchen.

* * *

A couple of hours had passed since Raven left and Chelsea found it surprisingly easy to make herself at home. The kitchen was stocked full of groceries and she helped herself to a big lunch, wondering if it was just a coincidence that so many of her favorites were available.

She had texted a few pictures to Eddie, knowing that he would get a kick out of the beautiful home she was staying in. He and Raven had gotten off to a shaky start, but ever since she helped him figure things out with Chantel, he had suddenly become her number one fan.

With her tour of the house complete, Chelsea relaxed on the couch to watch television. As she flicked through the channels, she heard the sound of the front door opening. Thinking that Raven had returned early, she went to greet her, but was alarmed as she saw a young man standing in the foyer instead. He was dressed nicely in a pair of shorts, a polo shirt and very expensive looking shoes.

"Who are you?" she asked rather rudely. Raven hadn't told her to expect anyone and her instincts as a police officer immediately kicked in.

The young man turned around startled and took his sunglasses off. "I could ask you the same thing," he said, his voice deep as he eyed the redhead suspiciously.

"I asked you first," Chelsea said, still suspicious.

"I asked you second," he returned.

Chelsea continued to stare him down, but then it suddenly occurred to her who he was. "Cory?" she asked cautiously.

"How do you know my name?"

"You're Raven's brother…I'm sorry. My name is Chelsea. I'm a friend of your sister's. She didn't tell me you were coming," Chelsea explained, feeling slightly guilty. She finally recognized him from some of the pictures she saw while exploring the house and Raven had mentioned him on a few previous occasions.

Cory seemed to relax a little as he moved further into the room. "That's because she didn't know I was coming," he said with grin.

Chelsea watched as he breezed past her and she followed him as he made a beeline for the kitchen.

"So, how do you know my sister?" came the disembodied voice from behind the refrigerator door.

The detective watched as he finally reappeared with an armful of food and sat it on the counter. "Um…we've been dating," she answered.

Cory smirked as he began making a sandwich, wondering how his sister always managed to get the pretty ones. "Well, whatever Raven has told you about me…don't believe it."

* * *

Raven entered her home later that afternoon to the sound of laughter and hurried into the living room to find Chelsea and her brother sitting on the couch.

"So after Raven and my dad finally got the blue stain off their faces…"

"I know you are not in here trying to embarrass me in front of my girlfriend," Raven interrupted as she came further into the room.

Chelsea smiled brightly when she saw the designer and her heart beat faster at being called Raven's girlfriend.

"It's what I do best," Cory smiled as he dodged a smack to the back of the head.

Raven was secretly excited to see her brother, but she didn't let on. He stayed pretty busy with his own life, but it meant a lot to her when he came to support her. She'd burn a pair of Prada's before she told him that though.

"I hope my brother hasn't been boring you to death," Raven said before leaning down to kiss Chelsea lightly.

"No, but he did tell me about the time you got in trouble for smart mouthing a teacher," Chelsea laughed.

Raven shot her brother a murderous glare before making her way into the kitchen.

"I'll finish telling you later," Cory whispered with a wink.

"Cory Baxter, look at the mess you made in my kitchen, boy!" Raven yelled.

"How do you know it was me? Chelsea's been here all day," he yelled back.

"Hey!" Chelsea said, following after them into the kitchen.

* * *

Chelsea was nervous as she sat at the restaurant with Raven and Cory waiting for their parents to join them. Her leg bounced under the table and she looked up when she felt a hand on her knee.

"Chels, they're going to love you," Raven smiled, trying to reassure her.

Chelsea returned the smile, but she was still nervous.

"Here they come," Cory said as he stood up to greet them. It had been a few months since he had last seen them.

Chelsea watched as the Baxter's greeted each other happily and stood up to do the same when curious eyes turned to her.

"Mom, Dad, this is Chelsea," Raven introduced with a smile.

The detective was happy to see that Raven's parents were all smiles and they welcomed her with hugs. The group finally sat down and Chelsea was glad to listen quietly while the family caught up.

"So, Cory," Victor said to his son, "How's business?"

"Great!" he said excitedly. "You can't tell anyone," he said, lowering his voice and looking around suspiciously, "but William and I are this close to striking a huge deal with the makers of Game Ball. William created some software that's gonna take gaming to an entirely new level."

"Wow, I'm impressed," Victor said as he looked at his wife. They were very proud of how successful their children had become.

"Did Raven tell you guys that Chelsea here was a cop?" Cory asked, changing the subject.

"Not just a cop, a detective," Raven corrected proudly.

"Wow, that sounds pretty exciting," Tonya said.

"Yeah, got any cool stories?" Victor asked.

Chelsea thought for a moment. "Well, there was this suspect who liked to steal all of the ice trays from the homes he robbed. When we finally caught the guy, his garage was filled with ice trays and labeled according to what address he stole them from. He liked to call himself Mr. Freeze."

Everyone laughed and Chelsea glanced over at Raven, glad that everything was going well.

* * *

A short while later, everyone had ordered and Raven excused herself to take an important call.

"So, Chelsea," Raven's mom said with a smile, "How did you and Raven meet?" Tonya had a good feeling about Chelsea, the complete opposite of how she felt about Jordan the first time she met her.

"It was actually the night her home got broken into," Chelsea explained, completely unaware that Raven hadn't shared that bit of information with her family.

"What? Broken into? When did this happen?" came the sudden questions.

"Umm…"

Raven chose that moment to return to the table and she could immediately tell that the mood had changed. Her parents and brother looked upset and Chelsea just looked guilty.

"Okay, what did I miss?" she asked as she retook her seat next to Chelsea.

* * *

"Raven, I'm so sorry about earlier. I didn't know," Chelsea said later, from the passenger seat of Raven's car.

After dinner, everyone had made their way back to the house. Raven's parents settled in while Raven and Chelsea changed to go have drinks. Cory had already left to go and meet some friends of his own.

"Chels, don't worry. It was my fault for not telling them sooner," the designer said. "Besides, now my parents really love you because they think you're my hero."

Chelsea laughed. "Well, I'd hardly call myself a hero. We haven't even figured out who did it yet." A fact which still bothered her, but she didn't say anything, not wanting to scare Raven.

"Well, as far as they're concerned, you're my new bodyguard."

"Bodyguard, huh?" Chelsea said as she smoothed her hand down Raven's thigh. "I think I can handle that."

Raven grinned at the detective before turning her attention back to the road.

Chelsea was starting to get a little nervous as they drove deeper into the city. The sun was setting and as they pulled up to the club, she could see that there were tons of people milling about. Stepping out of the car, she felt very out of place as she looked around at everyone. Cameras were flashing everywhere. The loud music could be heard thumping from inside and she quickly looked around to find Raven, who was busy handing over her keys to the valet.

"You okay?" Raven asked as she finally joined the redhead.

"Yeah, I'm good…it's just a little more hectic than I expected," she explained.

"I know. I'm sorry. We can go somewhere else if you want," Raven said, realizing that Chelsea wasn't used to all of this.

"No," Chelsea said, shaking her head adamantly. "This is fine." She wasn't going to let her fears take over. She was a cop for goodness sake. Surely, she could handle a busy night club.

But she became more and more uncomfortable as Raven led her further inside. The designer seemed completely in her element though. They stopped to say hello to a few people before finally making their way to a table near the back. A waitress came over a few minutes later and took their drink orders.

"See, it's not so bad," Raven said, leaning close so she could be heard over the loud music. Chelsea smiled and she placed a quick kiss on the redhead's lips.

"Well, well, well, look who it is."

Raven turned around to see Alana Rivera, Bianca Ramirez and Loka Edwards standing by their table. "Just great," she mumbled to herself. They were the last people she wanted to see. Alana was dressed in a tight, short red dress and stilettos to match. Bianca's was dressed similarly in black and Loka stood tall in a pants outfit behind them.

Chelsea took in the three women who were busy staring Raven down. She didn't become a detective by _not_ knowing how to read people. Her instincts as a police officer were kicking in and she felt herself becoming protective of Raven.

"What's up, Raven?" Loka said. "Aren't you gonna ask us to join you?"

Before Raven could answer, they were already seating themselves at the table.

"So, Baxter, who's you're friend?" Bianca asked.

Raven sighed. "Alana, Bianca, Loka…this is Chelsea."

They barely looked her way before deciding to question Raven some more.

"Haven't seen you around in a long time, Raven. What have you been up to?" Alana asked.

"You know how it is," Raven answered a bit condescendingly. "Not much time for socializing when you have a new line coming out." Alana was also a fashion designer, but she had never quite been as successful as Raven had. She and Raven had even interned together for a short while, but Donna Cobanna always favored Raven over Alana and it caused a rift in their friendship. Bianca was a spoiled socialite and Loka was a model, but they had been Alana's goons for as long as she could remember.

This was not how Raven wanted her time with Chelsea to go, but just before she could suggest they leave, Bianca spoke again.

"Don't look now, Baxter, but it looks like your old flame just showed up," Bianca said as she threw a smirk Alana's way.

"Awkward," Loka said in a sing song voice as the three laughed.

Raven immediately looked toward the door to see Jordan strolling through with her entourage. "Of all the clubs in this city, she just had to pick this one," the designer said. This was supposed to be a happy time for her. She was in a new relationship with a beautiful, caring woman and her new clothing line was coming out. The last thing she wanted or needed was drama.

Chelsea looked at Raven and could see the stress washing over her. Deciding that she'd had enough of the three stooges, she stood up and pulled Raven with her. "Come on," she smiled. "Let's go dance." The detective never considered herself much of a party girl, but if letting loose a little would help to salvage the night then she'd do it for Raven.

The designer smiled as the detective led her out to the dance floor amongst the other gyrating bodies. A new song by Trey from Boyz N Motion was blasting. She was here to have fun with Chelsea and she decided she wasn't going to let anyone ruin that. Her focus stayed on the redhead as they danced, which wasn't hard considering how sexy she looked in a pair of tight jeans and a snug blouse.

After a few songs, they moved to the bar for a much needed drink. Chelsea leaned both elbows against the bar and Raven stood close with an arm thrown across the redhead's waist as they waited. So engrossed in the showmanship of the bartender, neither woman noticed when Jordan approached.

"Hey, Raven," came the smooth, silky voice.

Raven was hoping to avoid the supermodel tonight and she had almost forgotten she was there, but fate had other plans. She slowly turned around to face her. "Hi, Jordan." It was the first time she had seen her since the breakup.

Chelsea watched quietly as the two women greeted each other. There was no denying how beautiful Jordan was. She trusted Raven when she said things were over between them, but somehow she still felt like the third wheel.

"Do you think we could find someplace quiet to talk for minute?" Jordan asked.

Raven wasn't sure she wanted to. What else was there left to say? Jordan had made her feelings pretty clear when they broke up. "Actually, Jordan, I…"

"Raven, it's okay," Chelsea said. "Listen, I'm going to head to the ladies room and you two can talk," she said close to Raven's ear.

Raven was touched by the trust she saw in Chelsea's eyes and nodded. A part of her _was_ curious about what Jordan could possibly have to say. She squeezed Chelsea's hand in thanks and left with Jordan.

Chelsea watched them for a few moments before finally making her way to the restroom. There was a short line and she waited patiently for her turn.

"You know, if I were you, I'd keep a better eye on my girlfriend."

Chelsea turned around to see Alana standing next to her. She didn't respond to her, but she didn't back down either.

"I'm just sayin'," Alana shrugged. "They used to be pretty hot and heavy. I mean, Raven was even thinking about marrying Jordan. She had the ring picked out and everything."

Chelsea brow furrowed slightly. Raven hadn't told her that part. She knew Raven was in love with Jordan, but she had no idea she had intentions of marrying the woman. A year was a long time, but she wondered if it was long enough to get over the person you had plans of spending the rest of your life with.

"Line's moving," Alana said, smiling smugly as she cut in front of Chelsea.

* * *

There was no escaping the loud music, but Raven and Jordan found a somewhat quiet corner to talk in.

"So how have you been?" Jordan asked, all of her attention focused on the designer.

"I've been good, Jordan…happy," Raven said. She held her breath as Jordan reached out to brush some hair away from her face.

"I'm glad. You look beautiful," the model said sincerely.

"So do you, Jordan," Raven returned. It was certainly true.

"Listen, I know things didn't end very well with us, but I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry," Jordan said.

Raven was surprised by the apology. Jordan's behavior had been so awful. "Why did you do it?" Raven asked, her eyes glistening as she remembered the pain she felt.

Jordan reached out to take Raven's hand. "I was going through so much stuff at the time. My family didn't respect my choices, work was getting to me…everything was just so stressful," she explained.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Raven asked. "You know I would have done anything for you."

"I know," Jordan said, squeezing Raven's hand tighter and pulling her a little closer. "I was an idiot to throw away what we had. Raven…I still love you," she confessed. "And I know that there has to be some part of you that still loves me, too."

Raven looked down at the drink in her hand. She couldn't believe they were having this conversation. There might have been a time when she would have been willing to give things another chance, but Jordan had been so awful to her. She would be a fool to give up what she had with Chelsea.

"Jordan, I can't deny that you and I had some good times," the designer said as she continued looking down at her drink, "and there will always be a part of me that cares about you, but…"

Raven was startled when she felt soft fingers tilting her chin up and even softer lips pressing against her own. The kiss was very familiar and it immediately took her back to the special moments she and Jordan had shared, but as the kiss started to deepen, she pulled away suddenly.

* * *

Chelsea finished washing her hands and left the bathroom where Alana was still busy checking her makeup in the mirror. Although she had been nervous about entering Raven's life, she wasn't going to let comments from troublemakers like Alana scare her off. Her and Raven's relationship was new and there was still plenty to learn about each other. She was confident that the designer had been honest with her so far and she wasn't going to stop trusting her now.

The amount of people in the club seemed to have doubled while she was in the bathroom. Walking a little further into the crowd, she continued to look around for the designer. Just as she was about to give up and pull out her phone to send a text, she spotted Raven and Jordan in the far corner. As she began making her way to them, she stopped short when she saw Jordan pull Raven into a kiss, but the heartbreak only came when she saw that Raven wasn't pulling away.

"Guess they're still hot and heavy."

Chelsea looked over to see Alana standing next to her once again.

"I have a feeling you're not going to be able to compete with a supermodel," Alana said, getting one last dig in before she left.

With one last glance at Raven and Jordan who were now talking together closely, she made her way to the entrance.

* * *

"Don't tell me you didn't feel anything?" Jordan said.

"I did feel something," Raven said as she pulled her hand away, severing any contact. "I felt memories and that's all there is left of us, Jordan. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go and find my girlfriend."

Raven suddenly felt angry at Jordan for thinking that all it would take was a kiss for her to be swept off her feet again after everything she did. All she wanted to do was find Chelsea and leave.

Making her way to the bathroom, she called out for her, but got no answer. After sending a text to the detective's phone, she continued looking around, but didn't see her. She was starting to get a little worried. With a sigh, she made her way over to the table where Alana, Bianca and Loka were sitting.

"Have you guys seen, Chelsea?" she asked reluctantly. Her brow furrowed when they laughed.

"Raven, girl, looks like you and Jordan were getting pretty cozy," Loka said.

"Look, have you guys seen, Chelsea or not?" she asked again, becoming angry.

"Yeah, we saw her," Alana said with a smirk. "And unfortunately for you, she saw you and Jordan all over each other."

Raven felt nauseous as the news sunk in. She hurried to the entrance followed by the sound of Alana's laughter.

* * *

Chelsea was glad that she decided to pack light as she tried to make her way down the steps quietly. Cory had fallen asleep on the couch and she wanted to make her escape without anyone knowing. She had taken a cab back to Raven's house and was glad to find the front door unlocked.

She cursed softly when one of the floor boards creaked and looked over to see that Cory was waking up.

"Chelsea?" came the tired voice. "What's going on?" he asked as he stood up.

"Um, something came up at work," she told him. "I've got to catch a flight back tonight. Raven already knows."

"Oh, well that sucks. You're gonna miss Raven's show tomorrow," he said.

Chelsea felt guilty, but the memory of her and Jordan kissing reaffirmed her decision to leave. "Please let everyone know that I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye."

"Sure thing," he said, smiling sleepily.

Chelsea hugged him goodbye and made her way to the airport, the cab still waiting outside for her.


	8. Chapter 8 - The Vision

**Chapter 8**

Raven hadn't seen Chelsea in nearly two weeks and the detective wasn't answering or returning any of her calls. The introduction of her new line had gone wonderfully, but she barely noticed, more concerned with the fact that Chelsea saw her kissing another woman. She felt foolish for allowing it to happen in the first place. Jordan had broken her heart and just when she thought she'd finally found love again, she ruined that, too.

The few times she had gone to the detective's apartment, she wasn't there. She thought about going to the station, but she didn't want to cause trouble for Chelsea at her job. She had even considered calling Eddie.

Raven knew she had to do something, but she was growing weary, afraid that she had already lost the detective. Picking up her phone from the counter where she sat in the kitchen, she dialed the familiar number and took a deep breath.

"Chels, it's me again," she began after getting the voicemail yet again. "I know you must be really upset with me right now and I don't blame you, but please know that I don't want Jordan…and what you saw in the club…she caught me off guard…" She sighed, some of her frustration coming through in her voice, "You know, I'd rather not pour my heart out to a machine…please call me…and if you don't…I'll get the hint…and I won't bother you anymore…" Raven pushed the end button and dropped her phone onto the counter once again. She buried her face in her hands and silently prayed that Chelsea would call her back. She didn't want things to end this way. She didn't want things to end at all.

Standing up, she made her way to the fridge for a bottle of water, but was suddenly pulled into a vision.

_"R__un!" Chelsea yelled. A gun fired and all she could do was watch as the detective fell to the ground. _

As the vision ended, Raven stood there in stunned silence as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Oh my god…"

* * *

Eddie returned from lunch to find his partner sitting at her desk, staring lifelessly at her cell phone.

"Another call from Raven?" he asked as he took his seat. Chelsea only nodded. Eddie had never seen his partner so down over a woman before. "Come on, Chelsea…you can't just ignore her. Maybe you ought to hear her out," he suggested.

"Eddie, aren't you the one who doesn't even like her?" Chelsea said as she continued to stare at her phone. She had just finished listening to Raven's last message. A part of her felt like a coward for running away from the situation, but the trip to L.A. proved that she didn't belong in that world.

"Well, you were right. I was way, too, hard on her before," he said.

But Chelsea knew he was only saying that because things had been so smooth between him and Chantel ever since he took Raven's advice.

"Look, I'm just sayin'…I've never seen you as happy as you are with Raven. At least talk to her before you make any final decisions," Eddie said before turning his attention back to work. He was the one always getting advice from Chelsea about his relationships. It was strange to be the one giving it this time.

Chelsea thought about the message again and the defeat she heard in Raven's voice. She supposed she could at least hear her out. Maybe it really was just a misunderstanding.

"Maybe you're right," she finally said. She quickly sent Raven a text message before she changed her mind.

* * *

Raven paced her home, nervous about the vision she had. _Not_ for the first time in her life did she curse being psychic and all of the trouble it caused for her. Telling Chelsea wasn't an option at this point. The detective had already lost trust in her and trying to convince her that she was psychic would be pushing it. She would just have to think of a way to keep the detective away from her in order to prevent the vision from happening.

The designer brushed a few more tears away from her cheek. She knew she was in love with Chelsea, but if staying away from her meant keeping her from getting hurt then she'd make the sacrifice.

Her phone sounded from where it sat on the counter and she picked it up to see that the detective had finally responded to her.

"What am I going to do?" she said aloud to the empty room.

* * *

"Yo, Chelsea, check it out," Eddie said as he made his way to her desk. He hit a few buttons on the keyboard and a sketch appeared on her computer screen.

"Who are we looking at?" she asked, leaning closer.

"Description a few witnesses gave the sketch artist…and get this…remember that guy who stunk the place up a few weeks ago…that's him. His name is Ben Sturky." Eddie finished.

"What do we like him for?" Chelsea asked.

"Breaking and entering. He fits the description witnesses gave in two cases. It's the same reason he was in here before, but there wasn't enough evidence to hold him," Eddie shrugged. "The captain sent a unit over to his last known address for questioning, but he wasn't there."

"Was there a warrant?"

"Yup. They're running the prints they found at his place against the ones found at the other scenes." he said.

Eddie made his way back to his own desk to get his jacket. It was nearly seven and way past the end of their shift. "So, have you decided what you're gonna do about Raven?" he asked.

Chelsea sighed. "Yeah, I'm going to go see her tonight. Wish me luck," she said with a halfhearted smile.

* * *

Raven paced the living room nervously as she waited for Chelsea to arrive. She still wasn't sure how she was going to fix this, but Chelsea's life depended on it.

After a few more minutes, the doorbell rang and her heart sped up so fast that she nearly felt faint. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself as she answered the door, but as her eyes fell on Chelsea, she could see that she was wearing the same clothes as she was in the vision and her fear doubled.

"Hi," Chelsea said as Raven stared at her. "Can I come in?"

Raven snapped herself out of it and moved aside. "Of course," she finally said. She had to make this quick and she berated herself for allowing Chelsea to come at all.

"Chels, listen," Raven began as they moved further into the living room. "I know you've been kind of nervous about dating me…" She took a deep breath to keep her composure as she spoke the next words. "…and maybe you have good reason. Our lives are so different… maybe all of this was, too, good to be true."

"Our lives _are_ different, but the only reason we're having this conversation is because you were kissing your ex-girlfriend," Chelsea said, her anger flaring at Raven's words.

"I didn't kiss her, she kissed me," Raven said.

"But you didn't stop her," Chelsea returned, watching Raven closely. "If you still love her then just say so, Raven, but don't drag this out or make this any more difficult than it has to be."

Raven's eyes were full of tears as she watched Chelsea. All she had to do was say that she still loved Jordan and the detective would be out of her life. Safe.

But she couldn't do it.

"I don't love her," Raven said softly as the tears spilled down her face. "I love you."

Chelsea felt her own eyes welling with tears as she watched Raven. As a cop, she was taught to examine the evidence and base her decisions on that. In this instance, all of the evidence told her that she should protect herself and walk away, but there was something about Raven Baxter that seemed to override any logical thinking.

"I love you, too," she whispered. She brought her hands up to the designer's face and used her thumbs to brush away the tears.

Raven pulled Chelsea closer and kissed her deeply. She felt elated when the redhead returned her affection, but she pulled away, knowing that they weren't out of the woods yet.

"Chelsea, I have to tell you something…and you're probably going to think I'm crazy."

Chelsea looked at her concerned. "Raven, what's wrong?" she asked.

Raven had imagined herself telling Chelsea eventually and explaining all of the details carefully, but she was so worried about her vision that there just wasn't time. She took a deep breath.

"I'm psychic," she blurted, holding her breath as she waited for a reaction.

Chelsea couldn't believe what she was hearing. A smile spread across her face. "Raven…"

Both women were startled when they heard a sound coming from upstairs.

"What was that?" Chelsea asked softly. Her hand immediately went to her weapon as she took a step toward the staircase.

"I'm not sure," Raven said worried.

"Stay here," Chelsea instructed as she slowly began making her way up.

"Chelsea, no! You can't," Raven said, grabbing the detective's arm.

Before Chelsea could figure out what Raven was talking about, they heard another sound and as they looked toward the top of the staircase a gun was being pointed in their direction.

"You're not much of a cop are you, Detective Daniels?"

Chelsea kept her eyes focused on Ben Sturky and positioned herself in front of Raven as best she could.

"Ben, why don't you put the gun down and we can talk," she said calmly as he began making his way down the staircase.

"That's funny. I was gonna say the same thing to you," he laughed as he finally reached the bottom.

His scent was overwhelming and Raven immediately recognized it as the same smell that was in her home before. She also recognized him from the vision she had when her dad called a few weeks ago. Her fear heightened at the thought of him coming and going from her home as he pleased.

Chelsea slowly unbuttoned her holster and removed her gun, but made sure to watch Ben carefully. His gun was aimed at her, but his gaze was eerily focused on Raven. Just as she was about to take advantage of the situation, her phone buzzed loudly.

* * *

Eddie drove toward Raven's place as he dialed Chelsea's number once again. After getting the voicemail, he ended the call in frustration. He had received a call from the lab informing him that Ben Sturky's finger prints matched the two open cases, including Raven Baxter's. One of their computer technicians had also found some pictures of Raven and Chelsea on Ben's laptop. It wasn't like his partner not to answer her phone and with Sturky on the loose somewhere, he needed to make sure she knew what was going on.

* * *

"Alright, Ben, you've got our phones and my gun, now what?" Chelsea said. She didn't like the way he continued to look at Raven and she was trying to keep his focus on her instead.

"Now, you can go have a seat on the couch," he said with a wave of his gun.

Both women moved to do as they were instructed, but Ben stopped them.

"No, you stay here," he said to Raven with a creepy smile.

The designer closed her eyes in fear and revulsion as he touched her face and hair.

"Don't touch her," Chelsea said forcefully as she pulled Raven away from him. If he separated them, she knew she would lose any chance of regaining control of the situation.

Ben became angry and shoved the gun against the detective's neck. "No! Don't _you_ touch her," he yelled. "I've seen what you two do together." He gaze turned to Raven with a look of disgust. "How could you let her touch you like that?" he asked. "You and I were meant to be together and you almost threw it away!"

Raven was terrified at the way he was looking at her and repulsed at the thought of him watching them together.

"After I figure out what to do with her," he said, glaring at Chelsea, "you and I can be together."

Chelsea watched as he turned his sickening gaze back to Raven. The gun against her neck was slacking off and she immediately took advantage of the situation. Quickly grabbing his arm, she wrenched it away from her and kneed him in the stomach.

"Raven, run!" she yelled as she continued to fight him. They both fell to the floor and she heard the sound of the gun scattering across the hardwood floors.

"You bitch!" Ben yelled.

He threw a punch and it caught the bottom of Chelsea's jaw, stunning her a bit. She quickly regained her composure and watched as he made a dash for the gun. She looked to the front door to see that Raven was standing just outside of it. "Run!" she yelled again, deciding that her chances of escaping and getting Raven to safety were the better options.

Once Raven saw that Chelsea was on her feet and running toward the door, she ran across the front lawn trying to get as far away as possible. She could hear Ben yelling in rage behind her and she screamed when a shot rang out. She turned around just in time to see the detective falling to the ground.

"Chelsea!" she screamed. Any immediate danger to herself was forgotten as she ran back to where the detective lay face down. Gently turning her over, tears clouded her vision as she saw blood coming from the bullet wound. She was still conscious, but her breathing was labored.

"Now we can be together."

Raven looked up to see Ben smiling down at her eerily, the gun dangling from his hand.

* * *

Eddie drove quickly through Raven's neighborhood. After trying Chelsea's phone numerous times and still getting no answer, his worry increased. He was hoping that he'd find her safe and sound at Raven's and maybe she would even give him an impatient glare for interrupting, but he would be glad to see it as long as it meant she was okay.

As he got closer to Raven's street, he heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. He parked his car a few houses away and quickly called in for backup before making the rest of the trip on foot.

Staying as quiet as possible, he approached the front yard. A few well-placed shrubs kept him out of sight and he peered around to see that the front door was standing open. Listening carefully, he heard a voice and peered further around the shrubs to see Raven kneeling on the front lawn with Ben Sturky standing above her. He cursed silently when he noticed the gun in Ben's hand.

* * *

"Let's go," Ben said as he reached down to grab Raven's arm.

"No!" Raven yelled as she yanked away. "You can't just leave her here to die." She looked to see that Chelsea's breathing was becoming shallower and her eyes were fighting to stay open.

"She shouldn't have tried to run!" he yelled. He watched in anger as she focused her attention on the detective, touching her face and holding her hand. Shoving the gun into the waistband of his pants, he grabbed the designer forcefully.

"SFPD, hold it right there!"

Raven and Ben paused in their struggle and looked toward the sound of the voice. Relief flowed through Raven when she saw that it was Eddie.

"Get your hands up and move away from them slowly!" Eddie instructed as he kept his weapon aimed steadily.

Ben did as he was told and began to slowly move away from them, but he gave pause when he heard police sirens nearby.

"Don't be stupid, Ben. It's over," Eddie said.

Raven watched with wide eyes as Ben began to breathe heavily, his eyes darting around wildly. The gun was still in his waistband and she watched as he quickly grabbed for it.

A shot rang out and she screamed, only opening her eyes when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Eddie knelt down next to her to check on his partner and she looked past him to see Ben lying on the ground lifelessly.


	9. Chapter 9 - The End

**Chapter 9**

Chelsea moved carefully around her apartment as she made her way to the bathroom to get her medication. The sink was cluttered with pill bottles, makeup, hair accessories, perfumes and lotions, and there were more towels than usual hanging from the rack. Grabbing what she needed, Chelsea slowly made her way back to the living room for a much needed break and placed the pills on the coffee table next to a bottle of water. She sat down slowly on the couch and closed her eyes.

It had been nearly a week since she was released from the hospital. Ben's bullet had nicked her lung, but luckily the damage wasn't any more extensive than that. She was forced to rely on Raven and Eddie to tell her what happened after she was shot. She had lost a fair amount of blood and her memory was foggy.

It turned out that Eddie's shot had been fatal and Ben Sturky was dead. The bullet hit an artery and he lost a lot of blood quickly. Chelsea had only seen her partner a handful of times since the incident and he insisted that he was okay, but she knew how difficult it was to deal with the taking of a life, no matter what the circumstances. Memories of her time as a homicide detective came flooding back to her, but they were quickly pushed away when she heard a key in the door.

She smiled when she saw Raven enter. "Hey," she greeted.

Raven smiled at her girlfriend and returned the greeting. "Hey. How are you feeling?" she asked as she kicked off her shoes and sat her purse down.

"I'd feel much better if you'd come over here," Chelsea said.

"Gladly." Raven joined her on the couch and leaned in to kiss her lips softly, being careful of her injury. She moaned when Chelsea deepened the kiss, her tongue sliding past full lips to taste her. "Chels," Raven whispered as the redhead's kisses moved to her neck. "You have no idea how much I want you right now, but if we don't stop, I'll have to rush you back to the hospital and we'll have to explain how you ripped your stitches," she said.

Chelsea smiled against Raven's neck before planting one last kiss on her mouth. She wanted Raven, too, but she knew she was in no condition to do anything about it. Both of them were just happy to be able to touch each other after the horrible ordeal.

"How was your day?" Chelsea asked as she picked up Raven's hand and locked their fingers together.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're the one who's been shot," Raven said.

"Still, you went through a lot, too. We both did, but I have a bit more training on how to deal with these things. I know it couldn't have been easy seeing Ben like that," Chelsea said. They hadn't had much time to talk about everything that went on. Most of her time in the hospital was spent sleeping and it was more of the same once she got home.

"I'm okay," Raven said softly. "It's still pretty scary when I think about it and I hate going home…" she trailed off. There was no way she was going to stay there anymore and she had already contacted her real estate agent about listing it. Her family had flown in immediately after hearing about what happened and they had stayed in a hotel for week before she was finally able to reassure them that she was okay. She had been staying at Chelsea's place since before she was released from the hospital.

"Just know that you don't have to hide anything from me. You can talk to me about anything," Chelsea reassured.

Raven smiled, touched at her compassion. "Speaking of which…we haven't really had a chance to talk about what I told you before all of this happened," she said. A part of her was hoping that Chelsea had forgotten that, too, but she doubted it.

"You mean that you love me?" Chelsea asked innocently, teasingly, knowing exactly what Raven was really referring to.

"Well, I _do_ love you…very much, but…"

"And I love you, too," Chelsea said softly in return.

Raven saw the sincerity in the detective's brown eyes and leaned in to kiss her again. "I was going to tell you that night," she began, referring to their short time together in L.A. "When Jordan kissed me, it brought back a lot of memories, but that's all it was. When you kiss me, it makes me think of the future and us spending the rest of our lives together," Raven finished passionately.

Chelsea almost felt breathless at the designer's words. "If I wasn't hurt, I'd jump your bones right now," she said uncouthly as she looked into hazel eyes, causing an eruption of laughter from Raven.

"Well, hurry up and get better," Raven said as she snuggled into Chelsea side, "Because we haven't done _nearly_ enough of that." They sat quietly for a while, but Raven was keenly aware that they still hadn't discussed the other elephant in the room. Her heart sped up a little at the thought of talking about it. It was the very first time she told anyone outside of her family.

"Raven, you remember the first time we had dinner together and I told you about my boyfriend in high school?" Chelsea asked. She continued as she felt Raven nod. "He had a secret that only I knew about. His family didn't even know." She moved until Raven sat up and they were facing each other. "He was psychic," she finally said, smiling softly.

Raven grinned, unable to contain her joy. "Well, if that's not a sign that this was meant to be then I don't know what is," she laughed. "You're the first person I've ever told besides my family."

"That must have been hard for you. Especially, being in the spotlight and all," Chelsea said as she hugged the designer close once again.

"It was, but I managed somehow, which is crazy because I have no control over when I have these visions."

That sat quietly again before Chelsea spoke up. "Raven, what is it?" she asked.

"That night before you came over, I had a vision that you were going to get shot. I was going to try and push you away, but…I couldn't do it. You could have died because of me," Raven said as her eyes clouded with tears.

Chelsea only held her tighter. "I remember Ben used to try and keep certain visions from me if he thought they might hurt me, but it never worked out. It seemed like anything he did to keep a vision from happening only helped to make it a reality." She kissed the top of Raven's head and rubbed her shoulder. "Ben and I used to get into all sorts of trouble because of his visions. Sometimes it was fun and sometimes it just plain sucked, but I wouldn't change any of it. I know you've never had anyone you can share this with before, but you have me now and I'm glad you tried to tell me instead of pushing me away. If you hadn't we might not be together now," she finished.

Raven let out a deep sigh as she dabbed at her tears. "You know, I think I fall more and more in love with you every minute," she said, moving until she was once again looking into Chelsea's eyes.

"Good, because I feel the same way and I'm not going anywhere," Chelsea said. "I'm sorry I left instead of trusting you."

"It's alright. What else could you have thought?" Raven asked as she brushed some of the hair away from Chelsea's face. She placed a light kiss on her lips before continuing. "Our relationship is new and we still have a lot to learn about each other, but you know what?"

"What?" Chelsea asked softly.

"I've never been so sure about anything in my life."


	10. Chapter 10 - The Epilogue

**Notes: **Went back and fixed some typos and inconsistencies, but nothing major. Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read my story. I hope to write more _That's So Raven_ in the future (...and read more, too! Hint, hint ;).

**Chapter 10**

More than a month has passed since the incident with Ben Sturky and Chelsea was finally starting to feel like her old self again. She was healing nicely and her doctor had cleared her to do a bit more physical activity. She was even set to return to work soon, but was only cleared for light duty.

There had been a few occasions when she had gone into the precinct to check up on Eddie and he seemed to be fine, albeit a bit cranky at having to work with a temporary partner. He and Chantel were to be married in a few weeks and she had been pleasantly surprised to get an invitation that was addressed to her _and_ Raven.

The newspapers had been all over the story for weeks and it was only just starting to die down. On one of her visits to the precinct, Captain Lawler had given her some advice about lying low after a picture of her and Raven was featured in an article, but luckily no more had come of it. She and Raven made sure to take extra precautions and her apartment was still a sanctuary for them.

She recalled a conversation she and Raven had a few weeks ago about their living arrangements.

_Chelsea dug through a pile of clean laundry trying to find her favorite SFPD t-shirt, but she wasn't having much luck. She searched through yet another pile, but quickly gave up and chose something else to wear instead. As she made her way into the living room, she looked around at all of the extra shoes by the door and boxes stacked in a corner. It made an already small apartment even smaller._

_"It sure is getting crowded in here," she said as she made her way into the kitchen where Raven was making dinner. She peaked over the designer's shoulder and into the steaming pot of homemade vegetable soup._

_Raven looked at Chelsea slightly worried. "I know. I'm sorry. I've kind of been staying here uninvited. I promise I'll start looking for a new place soon."_

_"What? Raven, no. I love having you here," Chelsea said as she wrapped her arms around the designer's waist, hugging her tightly. _

_Raven relaxed and returned the embrace. She was glad to hear it because she loved every minute she was with Chelsea._

_"Actually, I've been thinking that maybe we could start looking for a bigger place…together," Chelsea said softly. Their relationship was moving fast and it was still so new, but she was sure of her love for Raven and they had gotten along wonderfully living together for the past month. Now that Raven was free to share the fact that she was a psychic, it was a lot easier for them to continue getting to know each other. She had even shared more of her experiences with Ben._

_Raven grinned brightly. "I think that sounds wonderful." _

Later that night, Raven waited in bed while Chelsea finished up in the bathroom. She scrolled through her tablet, checking various real estate sites, but looked up when she heard the door open. Chelsea walked in wearing a very short t-shirt and she couldn't take her eyes off of her. It had been a long time since they last made love and it left her wanting more. They'd had their share of heavy petting, but she always stopped before things got too out of hand, wanting to make sure she didn't do anything to interfere with the healing process.

"What is it you wanted to show me?" Chelsea asked as she climbed into her side of the bed. She picked up the brush that was sitting on the nightstand and ran it through her long hair a few times.

Raven watched as the shiny red tresses tumbled over Chelsea's shoulder. "Um…it can wait until tomorrow." She sat the tablet on the nightstand and focused her attention on the detective. "So, how was your doctor's appointment?"

Chelsea leaned over and began kissing Raven's cheeks, lips and neck. "It was fine," she mumbled.

Raven deepened the kiss and pushed her tongue past Chelsea's lips. Her hand massaged the smooth skin of the detective's thigh before sliding higher to her hip.

Chelsea straddled Raven's lap firmly and pushed her gently down onto her back. Her hands made their way underneath the sleep camisole the designer was wearing and her fingers brushed against full, soft breasts.

Raven moaned. "Maybe we should stop," she said breathlessly although she really didn't want to. Chelsea continued touching her and she gave no resistance when the detective helped her out of her camisole. Warm hands massaged the newly exposed skin and she was completely aroused.

"We don't have to," Chelsea whispered after another deep kiss. Sitting up, she pulled her own shirt off and tossed it aside before resting her body fully against Raven's. "The doctor said it was fine." She covered Raven's mouth with her own before she could respond, but their lips parted with a loud smack when she felt a sting on her butt.

"And just when were you going to tell me?" Raven asked as her hand began to massage the firm cheek she had just swatted.

"I'm telling you now," Chelsea smiled as she moved her kisses to Raven's neck and chest.

They continued to make love, both cherishing the other and grateful to be together after everything that happened. Raven was glad to have someone she could be completely open and honest with and she knew she would never let Chelsea go.

**The End.**


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